Building on his statement that he had “asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs to review Canada’s financial contributions to Commonwealth programs and the Commonwealth Secretariat”, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper told an Asia-Pacific leaders meeting in Bali that Canada would “examine our engagement and our financing of the Commonwealth . . . to make sure that we are wisely using taxpayers’ dollars and reflecting Canadian values”.
The message has been taken as a serious threat to Commonwealth finances as Canada is the organisation’s second biggest donor after the United Kingdom, which has reportedly been forced to take a defensive stance, with a spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office insisting that David Cameron would be taking “tough messages” to Sri Lanka adding:
“The decision that Sri Lanka should host this [summit] was taken four years ago under the last Government,”
“We do not think that turning away from the problem is the best way to make progress in Sri Lanka. There’s nothing to suggest that not going will convince [President] Rajapaksa he must do more.”
See the Times for full story.